N.C. A&T Announces the 2019 Dowdy Scholars Cohort

North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University has announced its newest cohort of Lewis and Elizabeth Dowdy Scholars. These 24 academically talented freshmen will join the Aggie family as a part of the class of 2023.

This year’s Dowdy Scholars boast an average cumulative GPA of 4.24, a score of 1,346 on the SAT, and a 28 on the ACT. On average, these scholars rank in the top 12 percent of their graduating high school classes. They will represent all academic colleges and hail from a number of states including North Carolina, California, Georgia, Maryland, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas and Virginia.

“We are excited to welcome this group of outstanding students to our campus this fall,” said Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Beryl McEwen. “We have high expectations that these scholars take their places alongside their academically motivated peers and utilize the tools and opportunities afforded to them to meet the challenges that await them.”

The scholarship is named in honor of the late Dr. Lewis C. Dowdy, N.C. A&T’s sixth president and first chancellor, and his wife, Elizabeth. He served the university for more than 21 years. The administration building was named in his honor in 1981, the year after he stepped down as chancellor.

Scholars receive tuition and related fees, as well as housing for up to four years. This year’s scholars are listed below in alphabetical order:

• Erin Bell, daughter of Tanisha Agee-Bell, is from Mason, Ohio. Erin will graduate from Mount Notre Dame High School with plans to major in Biochemistry. She hopes to use her experiences and identity to build a legacy of more inclusive medicine as a bioethics lawyer/community advocate and to partake in the formation of legislative safeguards for the ethical and moral development of genetic research and application as an integral part of health medicine.
• Kameron Burton, son of Will and Kim Burton, is from Garner, North Carolina. Kameron will graduate from West Johnston High School and plans to major in Bioengineering. His career objective is to ultimately obtain a doctorate in Bioengineering and pursue the development of prosthetics and biotechnological devices. The strength of Aggie Pride coupled with the amount of undergrad research opportunities was more than enough to confirm for him that North Carolina A&T State University was the pace to call home.
• Morgan Crumbly, daughter of Ato and LaTisha Crumbly, is from Newnan, Georgia. Morgan will graduate from East Coweta High School with plans to major in Journalism (Mass Media Production) and minor in Theatre. Her ultimate career objective is to become a screenwriter and film producer.
• Jason Dennis, son of Justin and Maryann Dennis, is from Bowie, Maryland. Jason will graduate from Charles Herbert Flowers High School and plans to major in Biology. His ultimate career goal attend medical school and one day open up several clinics to provide appropriate and affordable healthcare to low income and minority families and individuals.
• Adam DeShields, son of Anthony and Suzanne DeShields, is from Palmdale, California. Adam will graduate from SOAR (Students on the Academic Rise) High School with plans to major in Mechanical Engineering. After completion of his degree, he would like to either work for an aerospace company to design robotic systems for planes, create robots that can assist elderly or disabled people doing everyday tasks, or help construct clean water systems for areas that are in need.
• Mikiya Gamble, daughter of Leah Gamble, is from Gastonia, North Carolina. Mikiya will graduate from Forestview High School with plans to major in Nursing. Her ultimate career goal is to obtain a rewarding position in healthcare as a Nurse Practitioner where she will be able to not only help others but teach as well. She would like to mentor young African-American children and assist them in reaching their educational and career goals.
• Donald Hartsfield, son of Donald and Channel Hartsfield, is from Wake Forest, North Carolina. Donald will graduate from Wake Forest High School and plans to major in Bioengineering with a minor in Spanish. He hopes to one day create new technology, medicines, and techniques within the medical field that will provide a positive impact to his community.
• Frances Kendrick, daughter of Alonzo and Janelle Alexander, is from Raleigh, North Carolina. Frances will graduate from William G. Enloe Magnet High School with plans to major in Nursing. She plans to open birthing centers and women's clinics all around the United States in low-income, low-resource communities.
• Sarah Lucas, daughter of Douglas and Cynthia Lucas Jr. is from Roswell, Georgia. Sarah will graduate from Milton High School and plans to major in Animal Science. Her career objective is to become a renowned veterinarian, ultimately starting and running her own veterinary practice. She hopes to incorporate community service into her practice, accumulating enough resources to be able to provide impoverished communities across the globe with professional and reduced cost animal care.
• Arianna Mackey, daughter of Calvin and Stephanie Mackey, is from Chesapeake, Virginia. Arianna will graduate from Oscar Smith High School and plans to major in Political Science with a minor in Spanish. She hopes to obtain a judgeship and because law is one of the least diverse professions, she aims to become one of the minorities that changes this statistic.
• Kennedy Marsh, daughter of Vincent and Shawn Marsh, is from College Park, Georgia. Kennedy will graduate from McIntosh High School with plans to major in Computer Science. Her ultimate career goal is to become a software developer at a company where she is able to make a noticeable improvement in her community and inspire girls like herself to pursue their dreams in STEM.
• Taylor McAuley, daughter of Tyrone McAuley and Jacqueline McLeod-McAuley, is from Durham, North Carolina. Taylor will graduate from Hillside High School with plans to major in English (Creative Writing). Taylor has always enjoyed composing stories and hopes to one day become a renowned author and write books.
• Kamryn Meikle, daughter of Kayson and Vanessa Meikle, is from Fayetteville, Georgia. Kamryn will graduate from Sandy Creek High School with plans to major in Speech Pathology and Audiology and minor in Spanish. She hopes to use research to find alternate therapy methods that may provide a more efficient way of curing disorders and/or speech related deficiencies.
• Jailyn Neville, daughter of Demone and Jennifer Neville, is from Greensboro, North Carolina. Jailyn will graduate from the STEM Early College at North Carolina A&T State University with plans to major in Political Science. Her long-term goal in life is to pursue a doctoral degree in Philosophy, particularly the study of moral and ethical philosophy.
• Myla Oliphant, daughter of Johahn and Christal Oliphant, is from Glenn Dale, Maryland. Myla will graduate from Paint Branch High School and plans to major in Information Technology. She aspires to bridge the gap between innovations of technology and the needs of the public. With this degree, she aims to educate consumers about certain technological advances but also serve as a voice for the public. Myla wants to help innovate creations that truly improve the lives of people in society while helping to provide access to technology within communities that lack sufficient access.
• Justin Overton, son of David and Jodi Overton, is from Wildwood, Missouri. Justin will graduate from Lafayette High School with plans to major in Accounting. His career goal is to become a Certified Public Accountant, working for one of the Big Four accounting firms, and to pursue a Master’s of Business Administration.
• Lucy A. Pearsall-Finch, daughter of Roxane Pearsall, David Washlaski, and Allan D. Finch is from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Lucy graduated from Barack Obama Academy of International Studies and plans to major in Mechanical Engineering. She plans to have gained such a wealth of knowledge and skills in mechanical engineering, coupled with a greater understanding of African Americans, society, politics and networking that she will be in a position to promote NC A&T and people in a way that helps the advancement of African Americans, which ultimately will benefit human beings at large.
• Jeremiah Pouncy, son of James and Raquel Pouncy is from Fredericksburg, Virginia. Jeremiah will graduate from Riverbend High School and plans to major in Animal Science. His ultimate goal is to create a multimillion dollar veterinary medicine business and have clinics across the country that aid in discovering solutions for problems with disabled and injured animals to enhance their lives.
• Peyton Rodgers, daughter of Kevin and Lorraine Rodgers, is from Atlanta, Georgia. Peyton will graduate from Charles R. Drew Charter School with plans to major in Marketing. She would like to work in the marketing field for a few years, and then become a business owner or entrepreneur with the goal of creating job opportunities while providing job training and economic development in the community.
• Rawlin Tate Jr., son of Marion Tate and Rawlin Tate Sr., is from Stockbridge, Georgia. Rawlin will graduate from Woodland High School with plans to major in Mechanical Engineering. His career objective is to become a roller coaster engineer and open his own amusement park. Furthermore, Rawlin would like to start his own business where he can innovate and create new products that solve current issues and aid in future technological advancements.
• William Teasley, son of Edward Teasley and Stephanie Luster-Teasley, is from Greensboro, North Carolina. William will graduate from Southeast Guilford High School and plans to major in Industrial and Systems Engineering. His goal is to pursue employment at a major automotive company such as Volvo or Ford.
• Nakiya White, daughter of Sheketa and Celetha White Jr., is from Elizabeth City, North Carolina. Nakiya will graduate from Phillip O. Berry Academy of Technology and major in Electrical Engineering. She plans to pursue a Master’s degree and use her knowledge and resources to spark innovation and success among the youth within her community.
• Caiya Wiltshire, daughter of Travis and Lanita Wiltshire, is from San Antonio, Texas. Caiya will graduate from Alamo Heights High School with plans to major in Mechanical Engineering. Her goal is to solve global issues either in the environmental field by designing devices that will promote renewable forms of energy or the medical field by designing prosthetics for war veterans around the world.
• Julian Woods, son of Leontyne Dunn is from Atlanta, Georgia. Julian will graduate from Westlake High School with plans to major in Secondary Education. Once completing his degree, Julian would like to teach, gaining experience and increasing credibility as an advocate, before transitioning to public policy focused on education and social policy in particular.